Ardson



(No Model.)

W M. WHITING. TROLLEY FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 570,078. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

INVENTOR: WBLLHAM M. WHHTHNGQ ATTOR N EY TN: Norms PETERS Co,PHOTD-LITHO.. wnsnmrn'on. u a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM M. VHITING, OF EAST ORANGE, N E\V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO RACHEL M.WHITING, OF SAME PLACE, AND CHRISTOPHER RICH- ARDSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,078, dated October27, 1896.

Application filed May 6, 1895. Serial No. 548,212. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. WHITING, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolleys forElectric Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to trolleys, and has for its primary object toprovide a trolley-carrier with suitable means for controlling theposition of the trolley-wheel against the trolleywire and restrain itfrom jumping the wire, at all times retaining its operative contact withthe latter, irrespective of the pivotal movement of the trolley-pole atits pivotal support on the roof of the car, when passing over switches,crossovers, and other inaccuracies in the line construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a trolley-wheelconstruction in which the arcing, as it may be termed, is, if notontirely overcome, reduced to a minimum.

The invention therefore consists in the arrangement and combination witha trolleyhead adapted to be secured on the end of the trolley-pole,having a pivotally-arranged or swinging trolley-wheel carrier, and meansconnected with said carrier and the head to control the movement of thetrolley-wheel irrespective of the movement of the trolleypole.

The invention consists, furthermore, in certain other novel arrangementsand combinations of parts, such as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side View of one form of trolley embodying theprinciples of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe same, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the trolley illustrated insaid Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of a trolley of aslightly-modified form of construc tion, but still embodying theprinciples of my invention. Figs. 5 and 6 are detailsectional views ofparts of the trolley-head and the end portion of the spring connectedtherewith, illustrating one means for adjusting the tension of saidspring.

Similar letters of reference are employed in each of the above-describedviews to indicate corresponding parts.

In said drawings, cindicates the trolley pole -orsupport,of the usualform and construction, and b is the trolley-wire.

To the upper end of the trolley pole or support 0 is secured, by meansof a pin 0 or in any other well-known manner, a rod 0, carrying atrolley-head a, comprising therein a tubular portiona, forming, with theupper end of said rod 0, a socket a substantially as illustrated in Fig.2. Said head is provided with two sides a and a having theupwardlyextending fingers or lugs a and a, forming a fork a". On a pind, secured in perforations or holes in said sides aand a I havepivotally arranged the two arms 6 and e of the trolley-wheel carrier,which are connected at the bottom by a sleeve-like portion 6 rotativelyarranged on said pin cl and snugly fitted between theinner surfaces ofsaid sides a and a Said arms 6 and e are provided at the top with holesor perforations, in which is secured a pin f for the usual formoftrolley-wheel f. The ordinary forms of spring-contacts f and f are usedto conduct the current from the wheel f down through the trolley-pole 0into the motor in the car. A stout spring g of the proper tension ismade to'encircle said sleeve -1ike portion 2 one end, g, of said springbeing. made fast in a hole in the arm 6 of the trolley-carrier and theother end, 9 of said spring being in holding contact with the edges ofthe socket a of the trolley-head, as will be clearly seen from Fig. 2.The fingers or lugs a are preferably connected at the back by a piece a?ftoggive, additional strength. Normally the actiongof saidtension-spring g is to force the upper portions of said arms e and e,which are suitably curved to extend into the forked portions a between100 the fingers a and a, against the edges to of the fingers a, asindicated in dotted outline in Fig. 1; but when the trolley-wheel isbrought against the wire I) the action of the spring at the lower end ofthe trolley-pole c is sufficient to overcome the active power of thesprin g g, and the arms (2 and 6 will be held against the edges a of thefingers a, resulting in a practically rigid trolley-pole, trolley-head,and trolley-wheel carrier; but when the trolleywheel passes overswitches or crossovers or other inaccuracies in the construction of theline-wire the trolley-wheel is generally displaced from its operativecontact with the wire by suddenly coming in contact with the par tialobstructions presented, the mainspring at the lower end of thetrolley-pole being too slow in recovering its original position, whichis due to the weight of the long pole on the said spring. In thisinstance the pole 0 will assume the position indicated in dotted outlinein Fig. 1, and the tendency of the spring g is to force the arms e and eof the trolley-wheel carrier away from the edges a of the lingers a,whereby a constant operative contact is maintained by the trolley-wheelwith the wire I), as will be evident. At the same time the spring at thebottom of the trolley-arm has recovered its original position and thefingers a will again be in supporting en gagement with the arms a and cof the trolleywheel carrier, and this, too, while a constant contact hasbeen maintained by said trolleywheel with the wire Z).

It is a well-known fact that in the constructions now. ordinarilyemployed the trolleywheel in passing over switches or crossovers in theline-wire, if not entirely displaced, will be caused to slightly jumpthe wire, but immediately finds its position again on the wire,according to the speed of the car. electrical contact to be broken, anda spark is the result, which is injurious to the contact-surface of thewheel and the parts in the line-wire.

My construction of trolley is such that the trolley wheel is constantlyand yieldingly forced into operative contact with the wire, and hencethe sparking, if not entirely overcome, is reduced to a minimum.

In Fig. 4 I. have illustrated a slightly-modified form of construction,in which the trolley-wheel carrier is pivotally arranged between thesides (1 0f the form of trolley-head shown in said figure. Said head isprovided at the back with an upwardly-extendin g post (L while the arms0 and e of the trolley-wheel carrier are connected at the ,front by aweb or plate 6 Said arm a and plate a are perforated and are connectedby a suitably-bent rod 7b, held in place by bolts 7L and 7L2,substantially as shown. Encircling said rod h is a coiled spring 9,havingits free ends bearin g against said arm a and the plate 6. The

action of the parts of this form of trolley is similar to that describedin connection with the construction of trolley illustrated in Figs.

This causes 1, 2, and 3, causing the trolley-wheel at all times to beconstantly and yieldingly forced into operative contact with thetrolley-wire, as will be clearly understood. In some instances the end 9of the spring g may be provided with an adjusting means for changing thetension of said spring. The said adjusting means consists, essentially,as will be seen from Figs. 5 and 6, of a plate orblock t, having agroove L, in which said end g of the spring g rests, and looselyarranged in a hole a in the socketed portion a of the trolleycarrier isa bolt P, which is screwed into said plate or block '2 The normaltendency of said spring-arm g is to force said block L against the innersurface of said socket a in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6;but when said bolt is turned the block or plate will move 011 the threadof the bolt, bein g prevented from turningwith the same by the pressureof the end portion of' said arm 1" in the groove 1', and the result willbe that the tension of the springg can be varied without any danger ofthe b01117? being displaced, for the reason that its end 71 isconstantly held against the inner surface of said socket (.6 but stillfreely turns in said socket.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exactarrangement and construction of parts herein shown, as I am. fully awarethat they may be varied without dcparting from the scope of myinvention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. In a trolley forelectric cars, the combination, with a trolley-arm and trolley-headsecured thereto, and fingers on said head, of a pivoted trolley'carrierhaving a trolleywheel, and means cooperating. with said carrier toconstantly and yieldingly force said trolley-wheel against thetrolley-wire, irrespective of the movements of the trolley-pole, andsaid fingers on the trolley-head being adapted to be brought againstsaid carrier to act as stops, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. In a trolley for electric cars, the combi nation, with atrolley-pole, of a pivoted trolley-carrier, comprising a sleeve-likeportion 6 and arms 0 and 6 having a trolley-wheel between them, and aspring encircling said sleevelike portion, cooperating withsaid carrierto constantly and yieldingly force said trolley-wheel against thetrolley-wire, irrespective of the movements of the trolley-pole,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a trolley for electric cars, the combination, with a trolley-pole,of a trolley-head a, comprising therein, forked sides or fingers, and apivoted trolley-carrier having arms 6 and 0 adapted to engage with saidforked sides, and means cooperating with said carrier to constantly andyieldingly force said trolley-wheel against the trolley-wire,irrespective of the movements of the trolley-pole, and said fingers onthe trolley-head being adapted to be brought against said carrier to actas stops, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a trolley for electric cars, the combi nation, with atrolley-pole, of a trolley-head a, comprising therein forked sides orfingers, and a pivoted trolley-carrier having arms c and 6 adapted toengage with said forked sides, and a spring cooperating with said car-'trolley-carrier, consisting of a sleeve-like portion 6 and arms e and 6,having a trolleywheel between them, and a spring encircling saidsleeve-like portion, cooperating with said carrier to constantly andyieldingly force said trolley-wheel against the trolley-wire,irrespective of the movements of the trolley-pole, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

6. In a trolley for electric cars, the combination, with a trol ey-arm,and a trolley-head,

and fingers on said head, of a pivoted trolleycarrier having atrolley-wheel, and a spring cooperating with said carrier to constantlyand yieldin gly force said trolley-wheel against the trolley-wire,irrespective of the movements of the trolley-pole, and said fingers onthe trolley-head being adapted to be brought against said carrier to actas stops, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a trolley for electric cars, the combination, with a trolley-pole,of a trolley-head, comprising therein, forked sides, a pivotedtrolley-carrierhaving arms adapted to engage with said forked sides, anda spring cooperating with said carrier to constantly and yieldinglyforce said trolley-wheel against the trolley-wire, irrespective of themovements of the trolley-pole, and an adjusting device connected withsaid spring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a trolley for electric cars, the combination, with a trolley-pole,of a trolley-head, comprising therein, forked sides, a pivotedtrolley-carrier having arms adapted to engage with said forked sides, aspring cooperating with said carrier to constantly and yieldingly forcesaid trolley-wheel against the trolleywire, irrespective of themovements of the trolley-pole, and an adjusting device connected withsaid spring, comprising therein, a grooved block or plate 1 and anadjusting screw or bolt 4?, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 2d day of May, 1895.

XVILLIAM M. \VHITING. lV-itn esses FREDK. 0. FRAENTZE WM. I-I. CAMFIELD,Jr.

